politics and podcasts

I don’t know about you, but I’ve been greatly discouraged and unsettled by recent current events in the political arena. It’s not often that I’ll speak of politics here and I really only want to talk about it on a public forum when I feel like it’s useful and contributing in a positive way to the crushing mass of voices out there. I’m not going to get into the nitty gritty of all my thoughts or all the many ways I disagree with President Trump but I will say this: I recently found two podcasts that have provided positive and informative (and entertaining) perspective, which I very much appreciate. I haven’t listened to all these have to offer, but I’m excited to dig into them.

Pantsuit Politics: Two women – one conservative, one liberal – discuss various issues and current events in the political landscape. I love that I’m hearing both sides of an issue, but in a non-aggressive way. They’re not angry, they’re not one-upping, they’re not fear-mongering or attacking. It’s facts and dialogue and information and it’s modeling a productive way for us to talk and listen to each other. It’s also helping me to hear about issues outside the scope of media coverage. I love it.

Presidential: Journalist Lillian Cunningham dedicates one episode to each of our 45 presidents. I’ve only listened to one of these so far – Donald Trump – but it was so well done. She speaks with researchers, threads how the past informs the present, and overall affirmed that America is really resilient and has survived tumultuous and controversial presidents in the past. I’m really excited to go back through and listen to each one of these! It’s not just a history lesson on each president, but also looking at their character traits, their personal lives, etc.

I’m feeling more than ever that it’s important for me to be an informed and passionate citizen, and I’m grateful for how these podcasts might serve to educate and provide perspective. Check them out!